Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Alex Williamson Socceroos post drew heavy criticism on Friday after the Australian comedian shared an AI-generated image appearing to show soccer players arriving in Australia by boat while being chased by Border Force.
The post came as the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign ended in painful fashion, with Australia losing to Egypt in a tense penalty shootout earlier on Saturday Australian time.
The reaction followed Australia’s defeat in the knockout stage, with more on the match available in Australia vs Egypt’s tight World Cup battle.
Social Media Post Draws Anger
The image, posted to Williamson’s Instagram account, showed a group of players landing ashore in a rusty boat driven by the comedian.
Supporters in green and gold were also shown nearby, with a banner reading “welcome our future Socceroos”.
A Border Force boat appeared in the background, chasing the vessel.
Williamson captioned the post: “Smuggling next gen of Socceroos. . .on a shanty boat.”
Fans Respond After Australia’s Exit
The timing of the post added to the backlash, with the Socceroos already facing the hurt of a World Cup exit after their shootout defeat to Egypt.
For many fans, the post landed badly because of how it appeared to refer to the backgrounds of real-life Australian players.
“Disgraceful. Shame on you,” one comment said.
“This isn’t it,” another said.
“They all look 100% Aussie to me 🫡,” one comment said.
Others criticised the use of artificial intelligence in the image.
“Get off ChatGPT. . .This isn’t funny,” one person said.
“AI generated slop,” another said.
“It shows your true colours,” another said.
Wider Context Around Williamson
The backlash comes after Williamson was criticised earlier this year over a deleted social media video about the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby.
According to the original report, Williamson appeared to pretend he was on a phone call with alleged murderer Jefferson Lewis.
The Socceroos’ official updates and fixtures can be followed through Football Australia.
